Vietnam, Liberia strive to triple trade revenue

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam and Liberia have affirmed their determination
to double or triple the current bilateral trade of 35.3 million USD.

The determination was made during talks between Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister Pham Binh Minh and Liberian Foreign Minister Marjon Vashti Kamara in
Hanoi on December 8.

At the talks, Minh asserted that Vietnam always attaches importance to
developing its friendship and cooperation with Liberia, a promising partner in
West Africa.

The two officials agreed
on concrete measures to further the bilateral ties in a deep and effective
manner.

In terms of economy, the Liberian official wished Vietnam to help his country
in agriculture, mining, infrastructure building and telecommunication. He welcomed Vietnamese businesses to Liberia
for market research to establish trade and investment relations.

The two sides agreed to create favourable conditions for Vietnamese and
Liberian enterprises to promote trade and attend fairs and exhibitions in
respective countries.

They discussed measures to step up collaboration in agriculture, oil and gas,
telecommunication, and defence-security, and agreed to soon sign the framework
agreement on cooperation between the two Governments, the bilateral trade
agreement, the agreement on investment encouragement and protection, the
protocol on cooperation between the two foreign ministries, creating a
favourable legal corridor for bilateral cooperation.

In terms of politics, the two sides emphasised the need to increase the
exchange of all-level delegations via the channels of Party, State, National
Assembly, ministries and localities while facilitating people-to-people
exchange to further solidarity and mutual understanding. They also pledged to
continue coordination at multilateral forums.

Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh expressed his wish to welcome the President of
Liberia in Hanoi next year. He suggested the West African country support
Vietnam’s bid to become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for
the 2020-2021 tenure and recognise Vietnam as a full market economy.

Regarding regional and international issues of mutual concern, the Vietnamese official
affirmed the principle stance of Vietnam and ASEAN is to solve disputes,
including those in the East Sea, by peaceful means, including full respect for
diplomatic and legal processes on the basis of the 1982 UN Convention on the
Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and objection to the use of force or threat of use of force.

Stressing the need for the full and serious implementation of the Declaration
on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) towards the early conclusion of
a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), Minh suggested Liberia back the
principal stance of Vietnam and ASEAN.

Following the talks, Deputy PM and FM Pham Binh Minh and Liberian FM Marjon
Vashti Kamara witnessed the signing of the agreement on visa exemption for
diplomatic and official passport holders, the first agreement between the two
countries.-VNA